A Winter Rose
by TeyrianTimelord
Summary: Sienna Morrigan Tyrell leaves her family in Highgarden for her native north upon hearing that her older brother is alive and joining the Night'sWatch. When she becomes a maid at CastleBlack to reunite with him,she ends up meeting a boy from her childhood
1. Prologue

**So, this is my first fic for A Song of Ice and Fire. I know, some of you are really mad at me right now for starting this, but I'm staying one step ahead with keeping on top of this one! Many OCs in this one, since it mostly centers around one of my OCs. I tried to stay as canon as possible despite the obvious changes. The boring part: I do not own A Song of Ice and Fire, merely the Morrigans (do not steal! I am proud of them!). Enjoy! Oh, and no Cat trashing in the comments.**

A Winter Rose

Prologue

"How dare you come back here?" Lord Luther growled, scowling at the woman bowed before him. "How dare you come back to the Reach after you dishonored our family, married that middle-class northerner, and stole from us the grandchildren who should have been born Highgarden roses? How dare you ask for our hospitality when you singlehandedly set us back from the graces of the Lannisters?"

The young woman lowered her head even more than it already was, causing her golden tresses to fall over her pale face. The whiteness of her skin made Luther shutter. It was the reminder that she had spent years in the cold north, where even in the long summer snow clouds deny the body a kiss from the sun.

"What do you want from us, Millah?"

In a hushed voice, she replied, "Only what a daughter would ask from her father in such times, my lord."

He scoffed, but then, after a few moments of heavy silence, sighed, taking in his daughter's hazel eyes. They pleaded him to hear her silent screams of agony, begged him to listen.

"I'm close to dying, Millah. Your brother Mace will be lord of the Reach soon. He is already married to Alerie, the Hightower girl, with three sons and is pregnant again. Last time I saw the two of you speak, it was not on the kindest terms, so I suggest you speak quickly."

She nodded gratefully.

"I do not ask to be welcomed home with open arms. I do not even ask to be welcomed home at all, but my lord, I do beg you to let me stay once more. But not for me." She stopped to wring her blistered hands.

"Go on," he prompted.

"My lord… Father… it's because of my daughter."

Lord Luther felt his jaw go slack. A child? His daughter had a child?

"A daughter?" Luther sputtered, taken completely by surprise. "She is here? How old is she? Let me see her!"

_My first granddaughter! _he thought, surprise now replaced by excitement. _At long last! _

A servant from the other room led in a small girl who could not have been older than four. She seemed to be the image of her mother, almond shaped hazel eyes, and dark blonde hair, the fair lips and figure of a Tyrell lady, but she had a lean northern face, and a small nose that had to have come from her father. The girl kept her head down and her tiny hands in her folds of her dress, but to Luther, she was absolutely beautiful. _My first granddaughter…_

He rose from his seat on the dais and made his way down the hall, completely ignoring Millah and the servant. Upon reaching the child, he knelt down so that he could see her face better.

"Hello," he whispered joyfully, gingerly lifting her chin with his finger to meet her gaze. "What's your name?"

"Sienna," she replied quietly while keeping her eyes averted.

"Sienna; what a beautiful name. Do you know who I am, Sienna?"

She nodded before hesitantly saying in an almost rehearsed manner, "Lord Luther, the patriarch of House Tyrell and ruler of Highgarden and the Reach."

He stared lovingly into her innocent face. Just a minute in her presence and he was completely in love with her. His granddaughter.

"Do you know who else I am?"

She shook her head 'no.'

He put on the largest, proudest, brightest smile his aged face could muster and extended his arms.

"Little lady Sienna, I am your granddad!"

As he embraced her tiny body, she waited a moment, probably stunned, before carefully wrapping her thin arms around his neck. Hoisting her up to his hip, he finally turned back to Millah, too overwhelmed with the joy Sienna struck him with to look at her with anything but love.

"It seems we have a lot of talking to do, Millah," he said, walking back over to the grand table. He took his usual seat on the far end of the table, where the patriarch of House Tyrell has sat for generations, but kept Sienna on his lap, as she compliantly sat still, not quite sure what to do with herself. Her mother took the seat to his left.

"Now tell me, why are you here instead of in Winterfell with your lowly husband?"

Millah clenched her jaw, but responded in a controlled voice, "Kyster is dead. He fell ill a years ago."

Luther was once again shocked. If he had only known that his daughter and granddaughter had been left alone and without provision in the harsh north, he would have sent his own men to lead them safely back!

"Why did you not send me a raven?" he asked.

"I saw no need to bother you with the daughter whom disgraced you," she muttered. "Besides, we had aid. Do you remember Catelyn Tully?"

Luther thought for a moment. "Hm, oh, you mean Hoster and Minisa's daughter? The one who was betrothed betrothed to Brandon Stark before he died? Fine girl."

Millah nodded. "Yes. She is in fact now married to his younger brother, Lord Eddard Stark of Winterfell. We visited every so often during Kyster's life, so when she learned of his passing she welcomed us into her home, for she in fact had a daughter but a few years younger than Sienna, and sons not much older, for her to play with. Clothed us, fed us, did everything a friend would do."

"Very Tully of her," Luther mused, twirling a lock of Sienna's hair around his finger.

"But after two years," Millah continued, "though she insisted that it was no trouble to her since we were like sisters, I felt as though we were wearing out our welcome."

"Living off of someone else has never been your nature," he remarked. "You were very much a lady in your youth, but definitely never enjoyed living off of someone else."

"Which is precisely why I chose not to marry Jaime Lannister like you proposed," she muttered with a hint of venom. "In a way, I wanted to earn my keep in my marriage, out of love. That's why I married Kyster Morrigan in the first place."

Luther was about to respond with to explain to her what prestige her union to Jaime would have brought to the Tyrells, but he was interrupted by the great oak doors of the hall flying open. A tall man with primly cut hair and an equally as well maintained beard, stormed toward them with his green cloak flowing angrily behind and thick boots stomping on the granite floor. Though his face was red with fury, he still managed to look handsome. But despite his charm, Millah scowled as he approached and shot her a spiteful glare.

"My lord father!" he shouted, making Sienna jump slightly. Luther hugged her slightly.

"What in the name of the gods is it, Mace? You're going to frighten your niece with all of your commotion."

"My niece? You mean the daughter of my whore sister?" he hissed.

"Mace Tyrell, you watch your tongue!" Luther chided firmly. "I raised you to have better manners than that! You are a knight and future lord of House Tyrell, so start acting like it!"

Millah dug her fingernails into the arms of her chair to keep from digging them into her brother's eyes. He eyed her in disgust, but bowed low to her.

"My apologies, dear sister. Please forgive my monstrous behavior," he said in mock politeness.

"You are forgiven," she said with a cold face and equally frozen tone.

"But she is the reason I wish to speak with you father," Mace continued, abandoning all feigned courtesies. "What do you expect me to do with her and her daughter? Take them in and pretend she did not betray her allegiance to our house?"

"That is my decision to make, Mace, but yes. Sienna will be treated as if she was your own daughter, with full respects, courtesies, titles, wealth, and privileges." he ordered. "I will not have my first granddaughter be treated any less than such because of a father she barely knew."

Millah shot her father, but kept silent.

"And what of _her_?" Mace sneered, pointing to Millah. "She should be sent back to the north where she ran to eight years ago!"

"Mace Tyrell, I will not tell you again!" Luther thundered, making Sienna cringe in fear. "She is your sister! You are not yet Lord of the Reach, so her fate is not yet in your hands. Do you understand me?"

Before Mace could utter another word, Millah finally rose from her chair and marched right over to her brother. Though he stood over her by a strong five inches, she glared up at him with blazing eyes and one hand on her hip while the other pointed to his face.

"I have lost my husband, my maiden name, the house we built together, and the first child born in that house. I have no wealth or prestige, but do you know who I am? I am Millah Morrigan! But I was born a Tyrell. Lock me in a tower and feed me nothing but vegetable stew for the rest of my days never to see sunlight again, but my daughter needs a mother, and so I fight my stay so I can fight for her!"

Mace was somewhat taken aback by her outburst. True, she had been rebellious as a maiden, but always well spoken, if not quiet. Taking advantage of his stunned silence, Luther laughed, cradling Sienna who now clung to his robes as she watched in pure fascination.

"She gives a good show and a fine argument," he said. "She touches on the soft spot in all our hearts: a mother's support. Where would we all be without Olenna?"

The brother and sister exchanged glances. The Queen of Thorns was shrewd, cunning, and aged, but indeed a good woman, wife, and mother. They recalled their separate memories of their childhoods in the Reach under Olenna's caring eye. Luther was sure when his wife returned from her journey to visit her family in the Arbor, she would have a great deal to say about the whole situation.

Glancing back and forth between his children, Mace struggled to find words. For a few moments, he just focused on Sienna, sitting contently in his lap. Mace fidgeted uncomfortably while Millah stood with a raw, icy, look of contempt carved into her face. He finally let out a held breath.

"Mace, you will be kind. Remember my orders concerning Sienna. Millah, your brother does have the slightest point. You have dishonored our family. You may stay here for the remainder of your days, but it will be solely for Sienna. You will sup with us, pray with us, but you will not be considered a lady of the court, hold any titles, or inherit lands after my death. However, even after I am gone, this cannot be changed, even by you, Mace, when you become Lord. It will be scribed as my eternal will. We can agree?"

The two siblings nodded. Luther looked down at the little girl looking up at him. He could not read her face or guess what was working through her young mind, but her lifted her up so to look her straight in the eyes.

"You, my beautiful girl, will be a noble lady. You shall want for nothing in your life, marry a strong lord, and have many sons. You are everything, Sienna Morrigan Tyrell. I am sure you are destined to be great."

Sienna smiled meekly at him in return. It was a handsome promise, but it was also a false promise. Lord Luther Tyrell had no idea what was yet to come in his granddaughter's life.


	2. Chapter 1

A Winter Rose

Chapter 1

"In a case of shimmering steel, I could feel fate touch me with her dark fingers, but tried as though the lady did to take me, two hearts kept me yet to linger. Tempt me not, oh cruel lady of night for I cannot yet listen to dated whispers, for the moment I leave to meet your bed is the day I lose my lovely sisters!"

Loras emphasized the last verse of his song by wrapping his left arm over Margaery's shoulders and his right around Sienna's waist.

"For all the gold and love in the kingdoms does not mean more to me," he said finished strongly, kissing both of them on the cheek in turn.

Margaery giggled slightly. "It is too bad that you have already pursued knighthood, or else you could have sung ballads to the king himself! Everyone adores your voice, brother."

Loras laughed in return and replied, "I would much rather joust for the honor of my queens of love and beauty than sit in a stuffy courtroom all day to be background noise."

"You? Background noise?" Sienna said. "Never. All heads turn to you when you so much as part your lips."

Loras continued to humble his skills while Margaery continued to flatter him, but Sienna simply sat back and listened, taking in the warm sun on her cheeks and grass on her back. Life was not hard in Highgarden, very far from it, yet despite all the luxuries that came with living in the Reach's capitol city, moments of pure serenity and joy were rare. To Sienna, those things were found on the days when she could be with her cousins; just be a part of their lives, be a sister, be a friend. To just listen and be.

"Well, what do you think, Sienna?" Margaery suddenly asked, breaking Sienna out of her lulling trance.

"I'm sorry, what were we talking about?" she replied sheepishly and somewhat embarrassed.

Loras sighed. "Pretty and intelligent as you are, little sister, your mind does tend to wander." Though she was supposed to be paying attention to what parts of the conversation she had missed, she was instead hung up on how beautiful it sounded for Loras to call her sister, even though she was just his cousin and he had been calling her that for years. "We were just discussing the idea of a tourney to celebrate Grandmother's eightieth name year since it is such a momentous occasion."

Sienna pretended to think the matter over for a few moments, even though she already knew her thoughts. "I agree it is great cause for celebration, but I haven't heard of Grandmother Olenna enjoying herself at a joust after the last tourney under King Aerys when the newly knighted Gregor Clegane took off a young ser's head. It obviously brings her no great entertainment, so is it worth the coin to create a champion's purse?"

Margaery let out a melodious laugh. "Sienna, how you came by such quick brilliance, I may never know, but you are the wisest lady of your age."

Sienna considered being annoyed with her for being over-dramatizing Sienna's habit of unclouded thinking, and she decided against it. Margaery was known for her dripping glamour and extravagant personality when in her leisure, but when matters turned serious, her cousin was just as shrewd and cunning as the Queen of Thorns. There was always a hidden meaning and intelligent intention behind everything she said or did.

"Then let it not be for gold," Loras suggested. "Let it be in the traditional fashion of a knight fighting for the honor of his lady! It has been years since such a tourney has taken place in Highgarden and Grandmother has always been fond of the old ways."

The girls nodded in agreement. Loras rose to his feet, prompting Margaery and Sienna to do the same.

"Then I must be off to propose the idea to father, and then I hopefully will not be late for my jousting practice. I will see you two at dinner tonight," he said.

"Don't hurt yourself!" Margaery ordered as she usually did when he went to practice. Loras gave a deep and playfully exaggerated bow before turning to the arena on the far side of the gardens, leaving the two young women alone on the soft patch of grass. Margaery looped her arm through Sienna's and huffed.

"Tell me, Sienna, does being a lady ever strike you as dull? Do you ever get bored of just waiting for something exciting to happen?" she mused out loud.

Sienna shook her head. Though she came to the Reach as a small child and with practically no memories of her life before it, she could still somehow remember the cold. She could remember the darkness of the north. She could remember the long nights when her mother cried quietly and the black hours seemed to nearly crawl into the sun. True, she also vaguely recalled Winterfell itself by the hospitality of Catelyn and Eddard Stark, but it was swiftly followed by the long journey south. Her young life had been an adventure all in its entirety, and she had no wish to relive it, so she answered, "no. Waiting is the fun of it; gives me something to think about."

Margaery rolled her eyes but smiled. "Somehow I knew you would say that. I just wish I could have some sort of excitement in my life! I know I have nothing to complain about, and I don't want to be in any great peril, but just a little risk or leap of faith or great joust. You know, like in the songs."

"I understand," Sienna said, patting her hand. "Just be patient, Margaery. You're almost sixteen and already you are clever and beautiful beyond compare. A knight or a prince will surely come to sweep you off your feet someday. In the meantime, you need to keep from getting too skinny! Why don't we find something to eat for lunch?"

To her greatest relief, Margaery nodded in agreement. On one hand, Sienna hadn't eaten anything since a piece of fruit when she woke up six hours earlier, and on the other, Margaery seemed much more at peace when she was eating. Sienna more than understood her cousin's desperation for change, but as Margaery entered her wistful fantasies Sienna left hers. Countless hours they had sat and talked of handsome men at tourneys and played what-if games late at night until the sun began to peak, but Sienna's desire for a nice knight took second place for her longing of home and most importantly, family. Even after almost fifteen years in Highgarden, she still feared losing it and the people who dwelt there. The perfection was like a glass hairpiece; she kept it always close, but dared not shake her head too hard in case it might slip out and break.

As the two girls leisurely made their ways back through the gardens to the Tyrell's main castle, they almost didn't see Olenna and Millah standing together in a slight outcropping in the rose bushes, neither of them looking particularly happy. Sienna was shocked to see her mother out so early in the day since she usually stayed inside until dusk. She was about to call out to her, but one of Margaery's slim hands clasped over her mouth and pulled her down to her knees behind wall of topiaries separating them.

"They haven't seen us," Margaery said just loud enough for Sienna to hear her. "Listen!"

"It has not been wise to keep this secret." The Queen of Thorns' voice was hushed and raspy, but easily distinguishable disapproving.

"I know," Millah sighed. "But what do I do, mother! He ran away from home when he was eight. I thought he was dead myself until he sent me a raven!"

The two eavesdroppers exchanged perplexed looks. Who were they talking about?

"Millah, I cannot make the decision for you, but I would let her know the truth. She has just as much a right to know he lives as you do."

_Is she referring to me? _Sienna wondered. _Who would I need to know about? Mother never told me about any long lost whoevers._

They heard Millah sigh. "You may be right."

"Oh course I am!" Olenna scoffed. "I'm more than twice your age, young lady; can still remember the night when I first held you in my arms. You have always been the brightest of my three daughters, yet always the most flustered and confused when it came to honor. She's your daughter!"

Margaery stared at Sienna as if for an explanation. She shrugged back in an attempted reply of 'I have as much of an idea as you do.'

After a long pause her mother finally said, "Yes. I'll tell her the next time I have time alone with her."

"Good," Olenna replied, "Because I think after all my little eavesdropping granddaughters have overheard there will be quite a lot of explaining to do."

Millah gasped and Margery and Sienna gulped in terror at the same time. Slowly the two of them rose to their feet with equal shades of pink painted on their cheeks. Millah stood with her arms crossed furiously but Olenna had an amused smile stretched tautly out across her lips.

"I'm sorry. It was my idea, and very unladylike of me," Margaery confessed.

"I should say so," her grandmother smirked. "But it is not you who I am concerned about, child. It is Sienna. Deary, why don't you come with me to get some pastries and talk to Loras about this crazy birthday tourney idea of his. Your cousin and aunt need some time together."

Olenna turned to lead Margaery to the main hall, but not before giving Millah a commanding glance. After both of them collecting their thoughts, Sienna asked, "you have something to tell me?"

"Yes, starting with a good scolding for eavesdropping!"

Sienna looked up at her mother. She had her dark blonde hair pulled up into a loose bun on the top of her head, letting a few strands fall down over her green eyes and the slightly sagging skin around them. When she was little, Sienna always wanted the chocolate colored hair like Margaery's or auburn hair like her Aunt Catelyn in Winterfell, but now she was glad she had inherited the rare gene of the Tyrell family…

She shook her head. She was supposed to be focusing on her scolding and the about to be unveiled secret! Maybe her mind did wander too often.

"I apologize," she mumbled, not feeling too sorry since it had led to her discovering that her mother had apparently been keeping a very important bit of information from her.

Millah's eyes softened slightly and brushed a few locks of hair out of Sienna's face. She suddenly got the feeling that it was no trifling matter they needed to speak about.

"Please sit down," her mother said with a gesture to the bench behind them. When they sat down, Millah pulled a few folded pieces of paper from the folds of her dress, all of them long and thin as those tied to ravens' legs.

"I feel terrible hiding these from you, but they only started coming a few months ago. It was almost too painful for me to realize, and yet at the same time so very wonderful. I don't expect most of this to make sense to you, since you were far too young to remember."

A single tear dripped out of the corner of her eye as she inhaled deeply and handed the papers to Sienna, who instantly began to read the first one, a raven's note.

_My dearest mother,_

_I am yet alive and with many apologies to make. Leaving you and Sienna after father's death was a mistake, I realize that. I fled wrongly, but I have seen many things in my years away. Please send me a letter through Lady Catelyn, she knows where I am. I will explain my situation in time, but ravens are no safe place in this day. Please tell Sienna that I love her._

_Forever your loving Alan_

With shaking hands, Sienna flipped to the next.

_My dearest mother,_

_Many strange things happen in the north. I hear rumors that I would not risk telling you, but wish to inform you that I am no one in Winterfell is in complete safety. Be wary of what you write. Please tell Sienna that I love her, it is of the utmost importance._

_Forever your loving Alan_

Another!

_My dearest mother,_

_Your letters touch my heart. Please do not fear for me. For now, I am certain that I will live to see your face yet, however I am not sure how much time I will have to do so. I have been faced with the most dire choice and my decision will change everything. Please tell Sienna that I love her._

_Forever your loving Alan._

As Sienna flipped to the last in the stack, Millah said hesitantly, "This one came this morning."

_My dearest mother,_

_My dearest, loving, wonderful mother. After much pondering but not much of a real option, I have come to the inevitable. In six moons time, I will be going further north than any of us ever have. For reasons that I wish with all my heart that I could explain, I must take the Black and join the brotherhood of the Night's Watch. I had desperately wished to see you again and even more so my little sister. Please tell Sienna that I love her very, very much._

_Forever and for always your most loving son, Alan Morrigan_

Sienna looked up at her mother with tears building up behind her eyes. She didn't know whether to burst into hysterical sobs or scream until her lungs ran out of air. She wanted to do something to express everything that clawed its way at her chest: fear, anger, sorrow, betrayal. But all she could manage was to croak, "I have a brother…"

* * *

><p><strong>Intersesting? Penny for your thoughts, but feel free to throw in your two cents! (bad puns) Stay tuned, Jon Snow fangirls, he's on his way<strong>


	3. Chapter 2

A Winter Rose

Chapter 2

"That's madness!" Loras said angrily while pacing back and forth. "Absolute madness. And she knew for _months!_"

Sienna nodded a few times, still leaning against Margaery, who was hugging her tightly and wiping tears off of her cheeks every so often.

Once Sienna had recovered herself from processing the fact that she actually had a brother, it hadn't been a pretty scene. She had shrieked at Millah for hiding his existence from her even when Alan had specifically asked his mother to convey his love. And when Sienna ran out of horrible things to scream, she ran off to her room and just sat crying and laughing to herself for a while, repeating over and over, "I have a brother! I have a brother!" Of course, it didn't take long for Margaery and Loras to hear about it. Before even half an hour had past the two of them were in her room doing their best to comfort her.

"It was terrible, but at the same time, also amazing. I have a brother and he's alive!" Sienna added after sitting up from her younger cousin's arms.

"And taking the Black," Margaery reminded her.

Sienna sighed sadly. "That's the worst part. I wish I could just see him! I can't even remember him, and you two know that my family-"

"Is the dearest thing to your heart," Loras finished. "It has been since the day we met you."

"Exactly! Before I came here, I didn't know I had anyone but mother! I had Lady Catelyn as an aunt, Lord Eddard as an uncle, Robb and Sansa Stark as friends, but by father was dead and I thought my brother was too!"

"Well, you have us, right?" Margaery said.

"Yes, and I love you more than live itself, but Alan," the name felt strangely familiar and yet oddly new on her lips; "Alan and I are the last living Morrigans. Margaery, what if you and Aunt Alerie were the last Tyrells in Westeros and then you suddenly learn that Loras is alive but you've never met him before? What if he left you when you were very small, but then wanted to see you again? How would you feel?"

Margaery swallowed audibly and gave her older brother a quick glance of adoration, who in turn put his hand on her shoulder. Sienna nodded to mark their reaction.

"See?"

They both nodded.

"So what are you going to do?" Loras asked. "I know you, and I know you have some sort of idea brewing in that distracted head of yours."

Sienna shot him an annoyed glare, but then replied, "His last letter said that he wouldn't be leaving for the Wall for another six months, and in another he said that Lady Catelyn knew where he was, so I thought that maybe if I went to Winterfell, she would tell me where to find him."

The words had barely made it out of her mouth when Margaery shouted, "Are you out of your mind? Ride all the way to Winterfell, alone?"

"I've made the journey before! And I wouldn't go alone," Sienna snapped back. "I would hire a guide and take a guard with me until I reach Riverrun. There, as I know Hoster Tully is on friendly terms with my mother, I would secure a safe passage onto the Kingsroad up to the Neck, where I would be transferred into the safety of the Starks, and then straight on to Winterfell."

"You are a wealthy and beautiful lady of House Tyrell. One guard will not keep you safe," Loras pointed out.

"Then I'll travel with two and wear my mother's old clothes so that no one will recognize me!" she blurted, now trying to say anything that would make her cousins support her.

"Your mother will never let it happen," he said, folding his arms over his chest.

"Then she doesn't need to know! Please, what do I have to do to convince you two to support me on this?"

Margaery opened her mouth to say something that did not look like it would be in her favor, but Loras interrupted her.

"You will not wear a single piece of jewelry, will keep your hood constantly up, travel the least used roads, and have at least three guards with you until reaching Riverrun, and one of them will be me."

Margaery looked up at him with her mouth gaping in shock but Sienna smiled graciously at him before wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing his cheek.

"Thank you. I can't tell you how much this means to me."

"You can't seriously be alright with this!" Margaery sputtered.

"Relax, Gaery," Loras said. "I thought you were the one always wanting an adventure."

"Sienna will distinctly remember me saying this morning that I did not want one with extreme peril." She put one hand on her shoulder and looked at her with her deep chocolate eyes. "I'm only trying to keep you here because I'm frightened for you. I really don't know what I would do if you never came back. Who's going to help me put on my wedding dress when my handsome prince finally comes for me?"

They both laughed, but in a split moment collapsed into each other's arms. It was true that she and Margaery had not been separated for more than a few days since Margaery was born. They had been raised as sisters, but being from different parents allowed them to be closer than just blood; dear friends. It was Sienna who held Margaery's long hair back when she was vomiting till morning the night of her fifteenth birthday when she had drank too much wine. Margaery was the one who taught Sienna everything there was to know about the proper way to run a garden and sew a dress. She suddenly realized _I'm risking the family I already have for part of one I never even knew existed. Can that possibly be right?_

"So when are you leaving," Margaery asked after finally pulling away with her eyes glazed over. "I can help you pack."

Sienna took a deep breath, half way not believing that she was really planning all of this. "Right after Grandmother Olenna's name year party. Everyone will be so drunk or so tired that no one will notice us leaving before dawn."

"Are you sure you really want to do this," Margaery whispered, clasping Sienna and Loras' hand.

Sienna nodded. "Absolutely."

The roar of mirth throughout Highgarden's great hall was deafening. The cries of romp were so loud that Sienna could hear them from her bedroom two floors away. The hundreds of guests had just barely arrived and already it sounded as if they were well on their ways to being intoxicated. _It won't be hard for Loras and I to get past them come morning _she thought to herself as Margaery finished folding the last of her hair into flower-like loops on top of her hair.

"There," her cousin said, examining her handiwork. "You look beautiful."

Sienna supposed it could be true. Since there were so many different house members invited to the party, Olenna chose for all of her relatives to wear the traditional Tyrell green so that 'her old eyes could spot them amidst the crowds.' Sienna and Margaery were wearing the same long and flowing clover colored gowns with identical hair styles, but where Margaery's dress was lines with gold embroidery, Sienna's was silver. Margaery had painted Sienna's face, putting a reddish tint to her lips and sparkling silver shadows around her eyes, again, contrasting the gold on her own face. Gold: it was one of the few things about the south that Sienna could not accept. The color abundant in the Reach was beautiful, but looked and felt too alien to Sienna. The silver she chose to wear seemed much more complimentary and felt much more natural.

"We definitely look the sister part," Sienna said cheerfully, smiling at Margaery. "I think we better get going before someone misses us."

"Don't play with me like that Sienna, but yes, we should go."

Smoothing out the creases on their dresses and pulling back any loose strands of hair, the two girls linked their arms together and walked down the hall toward the enormous party. Sienna took deep breaths with every step. After two weeks of planning and sending ravens left and right, in a few hours she would be on her way. Hoster would be sending a party to meet her at the border of Riverrun, and Catelyn promised that one of her sons would be meeting her at the Neck. Every little detail was finalized, especially how much she would miss her Tyrell family while she was away.

Consumed by her thoughts, Sienna almost didn't see Loras running at them from the stairs, breathing hard and his face red as if he had just run a mile.

"What's the matter?" Margaery asked.

"It's King Robert! He's at the opening gate with a travel party. Claims he needs a place to stay for the night and would love to see Olenna on her name year!" Loras burst all in one breath.

Margaery and Sienna stared at him with shock and raw perplexity.

"Well, what's he doing in the Reach?" Sienna asked. "Why does he need a place to stay?"

"The Hand of the King, Jon Arryn, is dead! He rides for Winterfell to ask Lord Eddard Stark to take his place!"

Margaery gasped. "Then you will have to be the swifter if you wish to go unnoticed."

"We need to be swift now!" Loras said in frustration. "Father sent me to find you two so that we can greet the king and queen as a family!"

The three of them quickly made their ways down into the main hall and quickly found their places in the forming line to greet the seven kingdoms' monarch. Sienna couldn't help but notice the absence of her mother.

Loras couldn't have fetched them but a few minutes later, for that's all they had before King Robert Baratheon and Queen Cersei Lannister burst through the doors, followed closely by their three children and the queen's two brothers. Though everyone in the room instantly dropped to one knee, Sienna could feel a pair of eyes drilling into her skull, but she did not know who they belonged to.

"Lady Olenna, Lord Tyrell!" King Robert's voice thundered through the air. "How nice to see you again!"

"I hope you will forgive our sudden intrusion," the queen said politely, throwing a disapproving glare at her husband.

"A king's attendance to a party is never an intrusion, your grace," Mace said.

As they continued to talk and everyone continued on with the merriment, Margaery nudged Sienna as they moved away. She bent in and whispered, "Don't turn around, but Jaime Lannister has been staring at you since he walked in and now he's coming right toward us! Just keep talking to me and pretend we never noticed. I'm just telling a joke right now."

Sienna went along with it and laughed when Margaery pulled her head away, but a hard dread was building in her gut. Her mother had been engaged to Jamie Lannister, but ran away to marry her father, Kyster Morrigan, instead. No doubt her eyes and hair revealed Millah to be her mother, and her lean face was obviously northern. Whatever business he had with his ex-fiancé's daughter, Sienna could guess that it would not be friendly.

Just as Margaery had said, Sienna could see out of the corner of her eye the Lannister approaching them.

"Good evening, Lord Jaime. Are you enjoying the party," Margaery greeted politely as he came close enough to indicate that he had intentions to engage in conversation.

"Very much so, Lady Margaery. Tyrell balls are always wonderfully done," he replied in a smooth tone of voice after lightly kissing her hand. He then turned his attention to Sienna.

"I'm sorry, I don't think I know your name, Lady," he said innocently.

Sienna could tell by the sparkle in his green eyes that he knew who she really was, but replied blatantly, "Sienna Morrigan Tyrell, my lord."

He kissed her hand in the same way he did Margaery's but his grip seemed tighter around her wrist.

"Ah, so you are Millah's daughter. Let me say that I am so sorry to hear about your father's passing. How is your mother faring these days?" It said it more like a threat than a concern. _How does he know about my father?_

"She is well," Sienna answered as sweetly as she could. "I'm afraid I do not know where she is at the moment, ser."

"That's quite alright." Sienna suddenly noticed that his hand was still clamped around her wrist. His voice deepened when he continued with, "I can imagine she was not invited."

Sienna swallowed hard as he glared harshly down into her eyes. There was something buried deep under his face that made her shutter. _Please just let go of my hand! _

"My lord, could I interest you in a drink? My father made sure to purchase the finest of the Reach's wine for his mother's name year, and I assure you, they are delicious!" Margaery said, finally pulling Jaime's gaze and hand away from Sienna.

"I just might have to accept," he said gratefully, gracefully bending into a low bow. "By your leaves, my ladies."

"Enjoy the rest of the night," Margaery replied pleasantly, ensuring that he walked away.

"That was frightening," she said to Sienna, taking her arm.

"I know," she answered, wiping away the sheen of sweat that had gathered on her brow. "He knows something about my family that I don't, Margaery. I have no idea what it is, but I could see it in his eyes and feel it in his touch."

"I could sense the tension that he was building over you," Margaery said with a nod. "It wouldn't surprise me. Let's just hope that he doesn't know anything about where you're going."

Sienna looked back a little to see the blond man standing by the queen, whispering to her about something. Whatever he was telling her could not have been good news, because her brow furrowed at every pause.

"Something tells me that he will be keeping an eye on me for the rest of the night."

"Excuse me," Loras said, breaking the awkwardness that was building up. "But I would like to steal my sister for a dance since I will not have the opportunity to for a few weeks."

Sienna nodded. "Go ahead! I'll catch up with you two later."

"Be careful," Margaery whispered before walking into the middle of the dance with her brother.

Sienna sighed as she watched the two of them swirl together, laughing and smiling. She felt a knot form in her throat. She had danced with both of them before, and they both called her 'sister,' but they never looked at her the same way they looked at each other. It was the bond that could only exist between a brother and sister. _Blood really is thicker than anything, _Sienna murmured, reaching for a glass of wine from a passing servant. She took a careful sip of it, swishing it contemplatively around in her mouth.

_I'll meet you soon, Alan. I promise. _

* * *

><p><strong>After reading my last two chapter on my iPod, I realized just how many typos I made. Oops. Hopefully this one was better. I also noticed my age screw ups with Margaery and Sienna. Sienna is supposed to only be a year or so older than Margaery, but then that wouldn't be consistant with Sienna having spent time enough in Winterfell as a child to remember the Starks. Hmm, bare with me guys. You get the point, right?<strong>

**Please review! Chapter three on its way!**


	4. Chapter 3

A Winter Rose

Chapter 3

Sienna could not remember ever feeling so tired in her life. Nine days of harsh riding, and she was nearly falling out of her saddle. But in the far distance, she could just barely see the distinct towers of Riverrun. Shifting from one side to another, she took note of the pain in her lower back. _That's what I get for falling asleep while riding, _she though as she stared up at the castle to the northeast. _I will very much enjoy a warm bed tonight. _The pinnacles of the Tully stronghold glistened with rain from the night before in the just rising rays of sun. She decided there and then that she would reach before the next dawn even if she had to continue on all night. The castle was still a good twenty miles away, but the thought of a decent meal and the famous Riverlands malt was set in the front of her mind.

"It looks like we will be parting soon," Loras remarked, riding up alongside her. "No more campfire meals for you, I suppose."

Sienna laughed sadly.

"I'm sure the one evening meal Hoster Tully provides for me tonight will be enough to make up for all the things you and our guide have been cooking!"

Raygen, the wilderness guide ahead of them threw her a playful glance.

"I could let you starve, if you would like, my lady," he joked.

"The breakfast you made three days ago made me consider it," she replied with a wink.

True, Sienna was accustomed to eating at the great hall's table each night for supper, but she did not consider herself a picky eater.

"Let's not waste the daylight," Raygen continued, kicking his chestnut mare onward.

Sienna followed close behind, eager to reach the castle. She had met Lord Hoster only once before, when she was too young to remember him, but her mother and aunt Catelyn spoke fondly of him and when she sent a raven asking for a safe passage across the Riverlands he responded within days that though he was ill she was welcomed to stay for a night or two and his ruling son, Edmure, would send his men with her to the Neck. The Tully hospitality was famously considerate, especially to their friends under the house words, "Family. Duty. Honor." Catelyn had kept that creed close to her heart even after marrying into House Stark, she remembered clearly.

Hours later, when Loras asked if Sienna wanted to stop for lunch, she refused.

"I'm not sure if such a hurry is good for you, sister," Loras inquired, handing her a strip of dried venison out of his bag. "It will probably take the king and his men a month to reach Winterfell, and your brother does not leave for the Night's Watch for almost six moons."

"Six moons does not make up for seventeen years," she stated, chewing thoughtfully on the meat.

Loras shrugged and ordered the two other men not to stop.

"You will send us a raven when you reach Winterfell, yes?" he reminded her.

"Of course," Sienna said. "I wouldn't want to worry Margaery to death. I'll send her a raven before I leave Riverrun."

"Good… It will be so strange without you at Highgarden! You and Margaery are practically connected at the hip! What am I to do without both my sister? I'm losing half of my support for the joust next month! Not to mention your mother will kill me when I return home."

Sienna chuckled, but choked up on the inside. They really did love her…

"You'll be fine. I won't even be a year gone. You probably won't even notice I'm gone." She knew that was a lie. "Someone else will help fix Margaery's hair in the mornings, and you have every girl in the Reach cheering for you."

Loras veered his horse closer to hers and grasped her hand. "No one will replace you, Sienna. No one ever. There will always be a place in my heart for you that will never be filled by someone else, and you know my little sister feels the same way."

Sienna choked out loud this time. "I will remember that, cousin. Always."

He flashed her one of his dashing pearl smiles, the one that made all the girls and women at tourneys swoon, before putting his hand back on his horse's reigns. She felt her cheeks turn red. Many girls saw him smile like that before, and he sometimes went so far as to tease them with it, but there were only two people in all of Westeros who truly had it just for them: Margaery and Sienna. His sisters.

As the gates of Riverrun came closer into view and the sun sank lower in the west, Sienna built up more weariness, more relief, more excitement, and more sadness. Every mile was one closer to meeting her blood brother, but one farther away from her cousins, her grandmother, and her mother. Not long after sunset, the party reached the moat standing guard before the Tully's castle. The great gate stood enormous over their heads while a lone figure stood on top looking down at them.

"Who seeks entrance?" the man called down. The height of the guard tower was so great that Sienna could barely hear what she was asking.

"Sienna Morrigan Tyrell! Friend of Catelyn and Hoster Tully!" she shouted back up in the loudest voice she could muster.

"We have been expecting you, lady," the guard replied, yelling something over his shoulder to the men in control of the sluice gates.

In the long minutes that it took the men to open the main gate, Sienna stood breathless. Riverrun was an awesome sight to behold, the Trident and the Tumblestone flowing from either side behind the triangular fortress, its sandstone walls rising straight from the water as if the gods had pulled it from the bottom of the rivers. The castle was built to withstand a siege of epic proportion, and yet it was somehow beautiful, like an older warrior clad in armor, prepared for any battle.

When they finally could enter, standing to meet them was a man a bit shorter than Loras, with the Tully's signature rich auburn hair and the strong beard to match.

"Lord Tyrell, Lady Morrigan," he greeted them politely with an official bow that looked like it had been practiced many times. "I am Edmure Tully. I believe I was away during your last visit. My sister Catelyn claims you to be a friend."

"Lady Catelyn was like an aunt to me in my childhood, Lord Edmure. Her Tully graces followed her into the north," she replied.

Edmure made a slight chuckling noise, but left the comment of his sister at that. "Let my guards take your horses to our stables. I apologize that my father could not meet you himself and will not be down for supper tonight. He is very ill."

"Then there is no need for apologies." Sienna thought of how her grandmother Olenna was significantly older than Hoster Tully and yet she was still up on her feet.

"You must be exhausted," he continued, helping her off her horse as another man lead it away. "All the way from Highgarden in ten days. One of the maids will show you to your room and help you with any needs she can. She will be waiting for you at the main door into the castle. I must have a talk with your husband about matters in the Reach."

Sienna was slightly peeved at having to be separated from Loras on their last day together for what would probably be months, but brushed it aside and headed into the castle. Sure enough, before the wrought iron door was a tall young woman with long dark hair that flowed freely down to her hips. Her thin lips pulled into a smile, which formed friendly dimples under her gray eyes. Sienna noted that the girl couldn't have been much older than herself.

"My Lady Morrigan Tyrell," she said. She did her best to curtsy, but she long legs seemed to get in her way, causing the gesture to look incredibly clumsy. "Allow me to escort you to your room."

Before Sienna could even say thank you, the girl was already several wide strides toward the stairs, causing her to have to walk briskly to keep up. She led her up two floors by way of a spiraling stairway that was obviously built for the warlords in the Age of Heroes who first built it, because she had to lift her knees almost to her hips to make the steps while still keeping up with her long-legged escort. After what seemed like a trek, the two reached a long corridor lined with the carpet in the traditional red and blue that stretched down a hall that had to have been at least one hundred feet, lined with four doors on each side, and a single door at the end. Sienna was led to the oak door at the very end.

"I hope all is to your liking," the girl said, unlocking the door to reveal a spacious chamber with a large bed and vanity. "Call me if it is not."

"And what shall I call you?" Sienna asked.

"Kiana, my lady," she answered proudly, raising her head a little higher as if saying her name out loud gave her power. "Kiana Ryger of Willow Wood."

"It's a good, strong name, Kiana," Sienna said musingly at her reaction.

Though when Kiana had said her own name it seemed to make her glow, she suddenly lowered her poise a bit more when Sienna said it.

"Thank you, my lady. Dinner will be served in half an hour. I will have your bag brought up here immediately. There are some gowns on the bed you are welcome to wear while you are here." And with that, she scurried out of the room as if Sienna was a coiled snake baring fangs dripping with venom.

Looking around the room, she noticed the dress lying on the bed. It looked a little too big for her, but nothing a ribbon and a pin would not fix. She was about to change into it from her messy riding clothes when she heard someone knocking on the door.

"Come in!" she called.

As she rather hoped, Loras walked in, already changed into a clean white shirt and green jerkin. With his hair properly combed and face wiped free of dirt, he looked once again like the champion that the girls of the Reach envisioned themselves marrying in their most wondrous dreams. And why wouldn't they? He was gorgeous, strong, skilled, gallant, and most of all, kind. Very, very kind. Yet she was leaving him the next day. Without any self control, she threw herself into her cousin's arms and nestled her face into his chest. In response, he hugged her comfortingly, gently rocking back and forth.

"I know I will see you again, but I will miss you," he said into her hair.

And then for some reason that she didn't know and couldn't explain, she began to cry. He was right; she was coming back home and he most likely wasn't going to die while she was away, but there was still the fact that she wouldn't have him or Margaery around. She was departing to be with people she hadn't seen for so long that she just barely remembered them. Upon realizing that she was crying, Loras lifted her chin with one of his fingers.

"Shhh. No need for tears," he cooed quietly. "Everything is going to be fine. More than fine even, great. You probably won't even realize we're gone."

Sienna had to laugh at him repeating the words she had said just that morning. Could she ask for a better brother? She would love Alan if he was even half the friend that Loras was.

"We best not keep Lord Edmure waiting. You need to get cleaned up," he said, wiping away the tears on her face with his sleeve.

Sienna nodded, trying to pull herself together. "I'll meet you downstairs in a few minutes."

He gave her one more dazzling smile and then left her to herself. As soon as he was gone, she leaned against one of the bedposts and groaned. Why couldn't her emotions make up their mind? She was supposed to be embarking on the greatest and most revealing journey of her life, but the further she got from Highgarden the more she thought about her Tyrell family than Alan and the Starks. Wasn't it supposed to be the other way around?

She quickly changed dresses and brushed out her hair before walking back down the corridor and stair until she reached the Tully's dining room; a large, circular chamber with an almost completed oval in the center so that it could seat a couple hundred guests at one time. At the farthest point where the table came together sat Loras and Edmure, looking strangely small against the sheer size of the table. They each had plates of food in front of them, but neither of them seemed to be touched. When Edmure saw her coming, he and Loras stood and waited for her to sit down. Only then ,when she was served, did they begin to eat.

Sienna was not used to small silent dinners. In Highgarden the entire family ate together and conversed festively with each other about the day and things to come. Not being able to withstand the stillness any longer, Sienna finally asked, "Do you have any news of how your sister is faring, Lord Edmure?"

At the sound of her voice, he looked up with a smile, as if he had been waiting for her to start a conversation. "She is well, with all of her children healthy, but she is very busy preparing the castle for King Robert's arrival."

"I think Lord Eddard Stark would make a good Hand of the King," Sienna said absently, cutting up a succulent slice of pork on her plate. She could not deny the skill of the cook.

Edmure stared at her with a little surprise. "Really? I would have to agree, but how much do you know about politics, my lady?"

"Enough," she lied. She really loved news from abroad, the royal affairs of the realm included, but Olenna had warned her about telling just anyone. 'Men see politically educated women as a threat,' she had told her. "Besides, he did help my mother and I for two years. If he runs a kingdom like he runs his house, then we would be quite well off."

"Fair enough," Edmure replied with a nod, seemingly content with her reasoning.

_Fair enough, _Sienna repeated in her mind. _Is fair enough really good enough? Is fair enough really good enough in anything but reasoning? _

The meal ended almost as quaintly as it had began, with quick good nights from Edmure and Kiana returning to bring Sienna back up to her room and give her anything she needed before bed. Before turning to walk up the stairs, she tossed Loras a soft expression that she hoped came across as sweet. It must have been, because he gave her in return a look that could only mean, 'sleep well, dear sister.'

* * *

><p><strong>Well that chapter accomplished practically nothing... Don't worry, I PROMISE the Starks will show up in the next chapter.<strong>

**Okay, after going back to A Game of Thrones, I realized how much of this stuff I've screwed up. From here on out, this story is mostly canon (following the basic story line an chain of events) but with AU situations. Agreed?**

**Lastly: I will be camping until next Monday, and probably in a coma all of Tuesday, so there will be no chapter updates in that time.**


	5. Chapter 4

A Winter Rose

Chapter 4

When Sienna looked up, she had to rub her eyes to make sure she was neither dreaming nor hallucinating. Standing in front of her was a young man with thick auburn hair and steaming blue eyes similar to those of Edmure in Riverrun but he was both stocky and muscular, obviously from northern decent. As she rode closer, his broad smile brightened. When she was close enough, Sienna barely stopped her horse before jumping off. He was right there to catch her in a huge embrace, effortlessly spinning her around him a few times causing her to laugh.

"Sienna Morrigan, how you've grown," he said almost proudly, putting her down to get a better look at her. "I almost didn't recognize you."

"It's fairly easy to pick you out from a crowd, Robb. I just didn't expect the boy who pulled on my hair as a child would grow up to be so handsome!" she threw back, still laughing.

"Welcome home," Robb told her with a smile.

_Home, _she thought, taking Robb's hand. _This is indeed the land I was born in. Does that make it my home? _

"Thank you for your services, we will be responsible for Lady Morrigan's safety from here," he said to the guards that Edmure had sent to guide her to the Neck. "Tell my grandfather that my mother wishes him well and will try to visit as soon as she can after King Robert's stay in Winterfell."

The still mounted guard nodded in compliance. "It shall be done, my lord. I see you have Tully blood in you."

"My mother's hair," he remarked.

As the Riverland guards rode back south, Robb sighed and looked at Sienna.

"So many things have happened since you left!" he said almost wistfully.

"For fifteen years I should expect so. Tell me about everything as we ride back," she instructed, getting back on her horse. "I am in great haste to talk to aunt Catelyn."

As Robb told her of things going on in Winterfell while she was gone - Bran, Arya, and Rickson's births, how the sisters didn't get along, their parents' anticipation for King Robert's visit- she became dazed. She _had _been gone for a long time, but riding in the cold through shallow summer snow banks with Robb felt so natural. It took her years to get used to the warm Reach, but she eventually settled in and considered it her home, and yet it only took minutes to feel perfectly relaxed in the Stark's company. It was like-

"Gods! Robb!" Sienna screamed, pulling the reigns of her horse back so fast that it let out a surprised whinny.

Standing in front of her was a juvenile grey direwolf, but it was still large enough to take down her mare if it wanted to. For a moment it just stood amidst the trees, watching her with curious yellow eyes as its tail slowly flicked from side to side. Sienna felt sweat dripping down the side of her face despite the cold. What in the name of the old gods was a direwolf doing south of the Wall?

"What?" he replied, looking around to see what was the matter. Once he realized what Sienna was worried about, he let out a loud laugh that made her jump.

"There's nothing funny about this, Robb!" she yelled, panicked.

"Relax, it's fine," he assured her, dismounting his horse and bending down on one knee. "Grey Wind, come!" he ordered.

Just as he said it, the direwolf trotted toward Robb and started licking his face. Sienna looked down at the pair in astonishment as he rubbed the fur on the wolf's neck.

"And we all got direwolf pups."

"Now you tell me!" She rolled her eyes. He knew that horses were the only animals she could really be around.

"Come pet him," Robb said, beckoning for her to get closer.

"Not a chance! The direwolf may be your family sigil, but I'm not about to get near that thing!"

"Grey Wind isn't an 'it'; Grey Wind is a 'he.'" Robb explained as if he were teaching a child. "And _he _is perfectly safe."

Before Sienna could protest, he grabbed her hand and put it on Grey Wind's head. She yelped when she first touched him, but then became perplexed as the direwolf began to wag his tail and move into the scratch. Much to her horror, he began to lean against her legs. She tried to back away slowly, but he just kept following.

"See? Nothing to be afraid of. And he likes you." Robb folded his arms triumphantly as Sienna continued to try to get Grey Wind to stop touching her. Even if Robb had tamed him, she still wasn't comfortable around him.

"Well, we're still a few days from Winterfell, so we better keep moving," she offered, trying to change the subject.

_No more odd pets…_

IIIII

"Aunt Catelyn! Uncle Ned!" Sienna cried as the lord and lady of Winterfell embraced her. "It's so good to be back!"

"And we are glad you could make it. It has been far too long," Catelyn said, patting her on the cheek the same way she use to when Sienna was young.

"You're looking more and more like your mother," Ned observed.

"Sienna!"

The shrill shout made Sienna twirl on her heels, but before she could even process who was calling her, a young girl practically leaped onto her.

"Sansa!" she replied, equally as excited to see her young playmate from so many years ago. "You look so much older! How did you get taller than me?"

"I just grew!" Sansa grasped Sienna's hands with excitement. "When mother told me you were coming, I started making you a dress! I still need to finish it, but maybe I can use it to teach you how to sew."

"Eh, and I thought she was going to be fun," a small girl standing with her arms crossed interrupted, wrinkling her nose slightly.

"Oh, don't pay any attention to her, that's just Arya," Sansa sneered at her little sister more than to Sienna. The little girl huffed and would have walked away if Catelyn had not grabbed her arm for her to stay.

While Sansa continued on about how excited she was to have Sienna around again, Sienna saw a shadow of a figure leaning up against a wall. A random by-passer might not have noticed he was even there, but she knew only one person that height who would be watching the Starks so intently.

"Theon, you ass, come out here and hug me!" she yelled playfully at him, even though Sansa gave her a perplexed look. Sure enough, the lean Greyjoy stepped out of the shadows with the same pretend-to-be-smug-because-I'm-tougher-than-you grin on his face as he did when he was ten. Even though he had been least close to her when they were young, Theon was always the one to pick on her when he was bored but defend her against older children when Robb couldn't.

"You're still a domineering bitch," he said as affectionately as the words could be.

She slapped him square across the face, but then wrapped her arms around his thin shoulders. He very hesitantly put his hands on her waist just enough to let her know that he still didn't hate her.

"Bran and Rickon are inside, I definitely think you'll like them," Robb interrupted.

"You just ruined the moment, Robb," Theon growled, but not aggressively.

"Come, my dear," Catelyn suddenly said, putting a hand on Sienna's shoulder to pull her out of whatever the older boys were about to get in to. "We have much to discuss."

Catelyn lead Sienna through the familiar halls of Winterfell's palace until they reached Catelyn's room. Sienna was surprised that she would have been able to find her way there even if her aunt had not been there to show her the way. Catelyn gestured for Sienna to sit on the bed.

"Would you like anything to drink? Tea, hot cider, or spiced wine?" she offered.

"Cider would be nice. Winterfell is the only place in Westeros for good cider."

Catelyn asked a servant outside the door to bring up two cups before sitting down on the bed next to Sienna.

"I know you're probably exhausted, but I figured you would want to learn about your brother first."

"That's what I spent the last three weeks riding here for, yes."

Catelyn released a long breath and folded one of Sienna's hands in her own. "I still can't believe that your mother kept all his letters a secret from you for months."

An alarm went through Sienna's body. "Wait, how did you know that?"

"You're mother sent me a raven once she was able to pry where you were out of your cousins. She was very worried about you," she scolded.

"I figured, but what about Alan?"

"Alright," Catelyn said, inhaling then exhaling deeply. "About a year ago, Alan showed up at our door practically begging for shelter. I would not have known it to be him if he was not the image of your father as you are the image of your mother. He nearly collapsed the moment we let him in. He had a severe fever and kept moaning about ravens and wolves and White Walkers and the Wall, but when he finally recovered week later he didn't recall saying or dreaming any of it.

"He stayed with us for another two weeks after that, over which time he sent the first raven to your mother. When he got a letter back from her, he read it and immediately burned it. The next day he packed up and asked me to send any letters addressed to him to an inn in Last Hearth, and to label it as for 'M.' When I asked why, he told me with more solemnity in his voice than I had heard even in your mother's when she asked to stay with us, that his location could only be known to three people: me, a person he did not name, and you."

"Me? But I have no idea where he is! That's why I'm here!" Sienna burst, her head spinning.

Catelyn nodded.

"He knew you would come here looking for him eventually before he was scheduled to go to the Wall." Catelyn's voice suddenly sounded choked. "He sent me a raven telling me that you would come as fast as possible in an attempt to meet him before the sixth moon since he revealed to your mother his plan to take the black." Catelyn now put a hand to her throat. "Sienna, my dear, what exactly did he tell you in his last letter?"

"That he was leaving in six months to join the Night's Watch and that he loved us and wished to see me again," she answered as thoroughly as she could remember.

Catelyn closed her eyes and let out what could have either been a sigh or just a held breath. She put both her hands against her mouth as if she was holding it shut until she could find the right words to say."

"Sienna, he's not leaving for the Night's Watch in six months," she finally said in a quavering voice. "He went to the Wall two weeks ago with Ned's brother."

For a moment, the information just did not sink into Sienna's brain. It was just there. _Alan is already gone. He knew I was coming. He knew I was coming. Alan is already gone. _And then it hit her like a mace to the head. _Alan knew I was coming, but then left before I even got here! _

Sienna dropped her head into her hands and fell back on the bed, trying to lock out the awful facts that her brother had already taken his vows to join the brotherhood instead of waiting to see her like he said in his letters. _Why? Why did he do that? Why! _she inwardly shrieked. Catelyn put her hands around her shoulders and pulled her into a firm embrace, stroking her hair as she cried into her dress. _I came all the way here, left Margaery and Loras, for a lie! _

"It's okay to cry," Catelyn soothed, "It's just you and aunt Catelyn. No one's going to hurt you."

"But he did hurt me!" Sienna almost wailed. "How?"

Catelyn then put bother her long-fingered hands on either side of Sienna's face.

"I do not think that's what me meant. Alan – your brother – wanted to see you more than anything. I think he still does. He was not a fool, Sienna. He told you and your mother everything he did for a reason. What else did he say in his letters?"

"Something about no one in the north being safe and that he might be in danger and he's seen terrible things while away," she said, wiping the loose tears from her eyes.

"I think those are your first clues," Catelyn persisted. "Think, Sienna, think! What does he want you to do?"

As Sienna spent more time thinking on it, the little things started to mesh. He had gotten her attention, told her his plans, and then a false deadline to make it north. He somehow knew how she would react, and added Catelyn into the whole thing to help. In an instant, it all clicked.

"I know what he wants me to do."

Catelyn nodded for her to continue.

"He wants me to meet him at the Wall."

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><p><strong>Finally it's exciting! Review ^^<strong>


	6. Chapter 5

A Winter Rose

Chapter 5

"Do you even have a plan or are you just going to walk in blind?" Robb asked, looking down at Sienna's already packed bag.

"Somewhat," Sienna muttered. "Offer to lend help without asking to join or any pay in return."

"That's not how it works. To get into the _brother_hood of the Night's Watch, you have to take special vows, most of which could not apply to you anyway."

"Well, I don't want to join the Night's Watch, I just want to see my brother!" she growled in frustration.

Sienna loved Robb, but he was beginning to get on her nerves. Of course he was concerned for her safety and wellbeing, but did he really understand why she was leaving? Even though she had practically forced the support out of Margaery and Loras, it seemed the only person genuinely understanding her needs was Catelyn! Family. Duty. Honor. In that order. Was it really that hard of a concept to grasp?

Robb sighed.

"How much longer can we expect you to stay?"

"No longer than three days, and I'm already later than I hoped," she replied without looking up at him.

He looked suddenly shocked. "But that's right before King Robert is going to arrive. It is not an opportunity to pass up lightly."

_And see Jaime Lannister again? Not a bloody chance! _she thought to herself, but calmly lied, "I am not very comfortable in large crowds."

"But there is a group leaving for Castle Black right after the king leaves, Jo-" Robb stopped short, as if he were about to let some secret slip but then caught himself. When Sienna shot him a funny look, he just shook his head. "It's nothing. I just started rambling."

Sienna thought about it. If she waited out the visit, then she could secure a definite and most likely safe trip up to the Wall, but the problem was the waiting. Alan had given her a deadline because he wanted her there sooner than later, so could she really gamble on time? It would be far less hassle for the Starks if she just left with the group, since they were already flustered as it was. She wanted to ask Catelyn, but she was too busy running around with the last minute preparations to chat with Sienna, and figured that Ned would not be in a much better position.

"Alright," she said with a small exhale of breath. "I'll wait for the party leaving after the king."

Robb smiled slightly and nodded slowly. "Then I suggest you work with Sansa on your dress. You will need to look your best, and none of the travel clothes will suit this party."

Sienna gave him a light punch in the arm with a feigned gasp of offense. "I'm no idiot! I _have _been living as a Tyrell lady for the last couple of years!"

They both laughed, before Robb extended his arm, which she accepted, and began down the hall. Sienna felt a pang through her chest as she remembered her last night with Margaery in the Reach. She only hoped that her raven had made it back to her cousin. As the two continued to converse about something that Sienna was not quite paying attention to, she saw Sansa standing at the bottom of the stairs with her arms crossed.

"I have been looking all over for you!" she scolded, tugging on Sienna's free arm. "We have to finish your dress! I will not allow my cousin to greet the _King of the Seven Kingdoms _without a proper gown!"

Sansa's face turned beat red when Robb laughed at her.

"It's not funny! You have to look nice too!" she reminded him with a light huff, trying to show her annoyance without being unladylike.

"It's fine, Sansa, he was just telling me the same thing," Sienna assured her.

At the same time, Sienna struggled to hide a smile. Though the Tyrell family was fairly large and stayed in the same place, everyone mostly stayed within their tight-knit groups. Seeing how all the Stark children interacted with each other as one huge group, even if they did not get along, both fascinated and bewildered Sienna. She hardly knew her older cousins Garlan or Willas, but even the youngest Rickon was learning from Robb. Age did not separate them, nor did gender (Sienna strongly felt the gap in her family, even though Loras spent as much time with her and Margaery as possible). However, there was one member of the Stark family she had not seen very much of.

"Sansa, where's Arya?" Sienna asked as the younger girl lead her down to the sewing room.

Sansa rolled her eyes.

"Outside playing with sticks or her wild direwolf." Sansa stroked her wolf, Lady, who was trotting alongside her, as if to show off how domestic her own pup was. "She's usually with-… the other boys in the village."

There! Sansa seemed as if she was about to explain something too! Sienna made a mental note to ask Catelyn about their strange behavior.

Once making it to the somewhat crowded sewing room, Sansa opened up a chest that seemed to be reserved solely for her, piled neatly with pieces of cloth and works in progress with everything from skillfully embroidered sleeves to full cloaks just awaiting lining. She pulled out the dress lying right on top, a gown made from wool spun so finely that it looked more like the thin linens of the south, but when Sienna touched it she found it to be just as thick as the common dress in Winterfell. The outer layer was dyed a light blue with an underskirt layer of light gray. The wide sleeves hung low to show the same grey lining the inside. The front and back were laced up with light blue, silk looking ribbon, and the only thing that didn't seem finished about it was a few stitches around the neckline and down the back.

"It's beautiful, Sansa!" Sienna exclaimed, picking up the dress and holding it against her body for size, which was incredibly close to perfect. "I never in my life could have made anything so wonderful."

Sansa smiled proudly.

"I'm glad you like it! Once I can get the exact fit on you, then I'll be able to finish up the stitching. As far as a cloak goes, I have a gray one in my wardrobe that will match perfectly! If you just had different hair you would be able to pass for my sister!"

_Margaery said something like that a long time ago… _

Seeing the glazed look over Sienna's eyes, Sansa began to fluster as if she had offended her. "B-but you're hair is really pretty as it is!" she sputtered, obviously embarrassed. "I mean, it's not Lannister gold, but a nice dark blonde. It shows that you live in the south but have good roots here in the north as well!"

"It's alright, you didn't hurt my feelings, you just reminded me of one of my cousins in the Reach."

Sansa let out a loud sigh of relief, and oddly, it was comforting to Sienna. She let herself relax as she listened to the white noise of the sewing room and wondered why it was she felt so easily at peace in Winterfell.

IIII

Sienna did her best to stay out of the spotlight and yet totally present at the king and queen's arrival party, always keeping her eyes open for Jaime Lannister. To her complete relief, she did not see hide or hair of the man, so let herself unwind a little. She sat next to Sansa for the most part, who was in turn staring at Prince Joffrey.

"Isn't he gorgeous?" Sansa sighed wistfully, resting her chin in her palm. "To think we might be married someday…"

"Trust me, dear, men are not always what they seem." Sienna didn't really know much about the matter of the opposite sex, but Olenna had frequently given her the same advice.

As if someone had been listening to her thoughts, a low voice whispered in her ear, "And what do you know about men, Sienna?"

She whirled around with her fork still in her hand in an instinctual swing of self-defense, only to find Theon grasping her wrist. She fumed and threw her fork back down on her plate.

"Damn you, Theon, you scared me!"

He laughed and pulled her out of her seat.

"Who did you think I was? Relax, I was just going to steal you for a quick dance, is that too much to ask for?"

Sansa looked up at them with a face full of expression, and yet entirely unreadable. When Sienna shrugged at her, she just smiled politely and went back to staring at the Baratheon prince. Theon lead Sienna out to the floor, and Sienna felt several pairs of eyes follow them, Robb and Cersei among them. When he noticed her own eyes darting around anxiously, he put his hand on her waist and pulled her in a little tighter to him.

"Calm down, it's just a dance! You look like you're expecting a monster to jump out of the shadows and eat you."

She laughed nervously, since that was partially her mindset. For a while she just let herself move with Theon to the music, ignoring everything else, but it was not being with him specifically that soothed her. He could have been Robb, or Ned, or even Loras, it was just the act of being together with one other person who she knew cared about her even in the slightest. Without giving it much thought, she closed her eyes and rested her head on Theon's shoulder, feeling the support of his tall frame, their entwined fingers, his hand on her waist, a heartbeat…

"Enjoying yourself now?" he smirked.

"You're ruining the moment," she mimicked, not bothering to react to his antics. He was still the same Theon; he probably always would be. She felt him inhale deeply and put his chin on her head.

"You know, we could just disappear right now," he said in a seductive tone.

If anyone else had said that at any other time, Sienna would have slapped them, but she just replied, "Or we could just stay here."

He laughed and kissed her forehead. "Alright, be that way!"

She looked up into Theon's dark, Greyjoy eyes. She had never really taken a huge interest in men; she always figured that she would just get around to being married eventually and never gave it much thought. He was like her older brother, but at the same time, he was not. No one else had ever looked at her the way he was looking at her now, and she could not figure out what it meant. He slowly leaned in close to her until she could feel the warmth of his breath. Though she hadn't really made up her mind about her exact feelings for him, she closed her eyes. She could just barely feel-

"Am I interrupting something?"

Sienna's eyes flew back open with horror. _Oh dear gods, please no! _

"Not at all, Ser Jaime," Theon said with just enough sarcasm in his voice to be noted. "Can I help you?"

"Indeed you could," Jaime replied as if he could not catch on to Theon's annoyance. "I was just wondering if I could borrow your lady for a song or two?"

Sienna looked back at Theon, even though she knew he could not deny the queen's brother anything. She shuttered as Jaime took Theon's place in front of her. He had a much firmer grip than Theon, as if he was trying to keep her from running away, which is exactly what she wanted to do. How did he sneak up on her? Where had he been hiding? She tried not to look directly into his eyes, and instead looked past him at Catelyn and Sansa, both of them staring back at her with concern. _Please help me! _

"Are you afraid of me, girl?" Jaime asked, squeezing her hand to get her attention.

"My lord, what gave you that idea?" She hoped her voice wasn't as shaky as she felt.

"For one, you won't look at me, and secondly you spent almost the entire night looking over your shoulder, and thirdly, I've given you good reason to be."

Sienna choked, and he obviously noticed.

"You never loved my mother," she said bluntly.

He laughed coldly.

"Of course I didn't! I never wanted to marry her to begin with. Her being older than me and raised in the nearly unbearable Tyrell family, and all that. I was rather glad when I found out she ran off with some northern peasant. It was the consequences of not marrying her that left a sore spot, all the hell that I had to sit through between the house debates, people questioning me every day for almost a year. That really drains a man after so long. Half the reason I joined the King's Guard was to get away from the whole mess."

"Then why do you take such an interest in me, ser?" Sienna asked hesitantly.

The glare he shot her in response made her instantly wish she hadn't.

"Just because I didn't love her doesn't mean she didn't hurt me. You are the last reminder of how she humiliated me, waiting around for her like an idiot when she was really being smuggled out of Casterly Rock by her Tully friend, who for once in her life acted on something other than her house's words."

Sienna swallowed hard before saying, "I still don't understand what this has to do with me."

He chuckled quietly in the back of his throat.

"Stupid girl."

She winced and almost let out a cry as he tightened his hand around her wrist so tightly that her fingers started to twitch. She frantically looked around the room, desperately searching for an escape route.

"Please let go of me," she nearly begged as her hand began to go numb. He just smiled sweetly in return.

As the dance took a livelier turn, Jaime increased his roughness. With every spin he twisted her back until her arms burned. Every change in stance had her nearly tripping over him. By the time the song was over she felt sick to her stomach.

"I'm not well, ser. Please let me go," she pleaded.

"In time," he growled. "This dance can only go till dawn."

She felt her heart jump to her throat when he grabbed her waist and nearly crushed her to his side.

"I'll let you go the way she let me go…"

The instant she felt his hand on the bare skin of her neck, she panicked. In one swift motion she ripped herself out of his grasp and raced for the door leading out the hall, not caring about the fact that everyone was staring at her. She ran blindly, turning corners and tearing through doors until she eventually reached the courtyard, but she still kept going. All she cared about was getting away. Getting away from Jaime, from all the staring eyes, from everyone who did not help her – could not help her! – and just kept running. That is, kept running until she collided with someone, knocking her right on to her back.

"Are you alright?" someone asked with genuine concern.

Sienna opened her eyes to see a gloved hand extended toward her. She hesitated, making sure that it wasn't one of the Lannisters who hated her, but then accepted it. She found herself amazed at how swiftly and carefully she was pulled to her feet. When she finally collected herself and shook the blur out of her vision, she found herself staring into a pair of dark eyes that vaguely reminded her of Ned's. The boy was taller than she was, but he was not as tall as Theon or Jaime. He had paler skin than she could ever remember seeing on someone younger than sixty, but his face looked incredibly young. He looked as if he could have been one of the Stark children if not for the black hair that was darker than any of them. He gave her a small, reassuring smile that chased all doubts from her mind that he was anything but handsome.

"I-I-I'm so sorry. Please, forgive me," she stuttered, trying to pull herself back together.

"You seem to be in a hurry," he remarked as if he was completely unfazed by her running into him.

"In a way…" she said before realizing herself. "I'm-"

"Sienna Morrigan Tyrell," he finished for her. "Yes, I remember the last time you were here, and I've caught glances of you since your arrival."

"Y-y-you have?" Sienna was completely confused. Who was he?

The boy sighed.

"Right, of course you don't know who I am. Catelyn tries to keep me away when important guests come."

Sienna was shocked. Catelyn? Who was he that her loving aunt would try to keep him hidden? He apparently understood the confusion on her face.

"She doesn't really like having her husband's bastard son around."

Sienna shook her head a little. Ned had a bastard child? More importantly, Ned has a bastard child that had been living in Winterfell for more than fourteen years?

"That's horrible," Sienna brought herself to whisper.

He shrugged.

"I've gotten used to it. I mostly stay out of her way on my own. Are you still in a hurry? I don't want to hold you up if you have something important."

"Oh! I- um- I was just trying to- uh- I mean, I needed to… get away from the party… for a while." When did she become so stupid?

"Well it's a nice night to be out in," he said in a sort of dazed manner, looking up at the hardly clouded sky.

"What's your name?" Sienna asked absentmindedly.

He looked at her as if she had just asked him to sit at dinner with her. She suddenly realized that people probably did not ask him very often.

"Jon Snow."

Sienna nodded. "Nice to meet you, Jon."

He threw her a confused but also legitimately sweet and almost thankful smile.

"Nice to finally meet you, Lady Sienna."

A loud crashing noise came from inside the palace that made them both turn to face it. One man stumbled out, swaying from side to side before collapsing in the snow.

"Looks like the party just got a little more interesting," he half-commented-half-laughed.

"I just don't want to go back," she muttered.

Out of nowhere Jon said, "It's past midnight. I could escort you back to your room if you'd like. You seem… worried about something."

Sienna sighed and nodded slowly. "I would like that a lot, and you have no idea."

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><p><strong>I'm not bluffing when I say this: I'm not posting any new chapters until I get more reviews! <strong>

**737 hits and only 3 reviews? Come on guys!**

**Edit: Okay, that was rash. Thank you, Really, for giving me the heads up, and I finally learned how to enable anonymous reviews (spam will not be tolerated!). But please review! I honestly want your constructive feedback!**

**I'm leaving tomorrow for a two day camping trip, so I won't be able to post anything until Wednesday.**


	7. Chapter 6

A Winter Rose

Chapter 6

When Sienna opened her eyes she felt as if she were about to vomit. Was there something in the wine last night? What did she do? She could barely remember. As she sat up and was hit with a sudden migraine that made her head spin and vision blur she laid right back down. It took all of her strength to focus on recalling what had happened the night before. Her efforts only brought on another wave of pain in the back of her skull. This time, she couldn't help but throw her head over the side of bed and empty the contents of her stomach. That's when she began to recollect pieces: almost kissing Theon; dancing with Jaime; running and running and running. But there was something else. More so, some_one _else. Another few seconds over the side of the bed.

His name was Jon Snow. He walked her back to her room last night. She remembered holding his hand when Shaggydog went running down the hall scaring the living lights out of her. She remembered feeling sick before she even knew what was happening. She remembered him catching her when she became too dizzy to stand. She remembered him carrying her over to her bed before she fainted completely.

The door creaked open slightly and a voice said softly from the other side, "Sienna? Are you awake?"

"Unfortunately," she groaned back.

Catelyn Stark pushed her way through, carrying two buckets, one full of water and the other with a few towels. She sat on the bed next to Sienna, dipped one of the towels in the cool water and dabbed it over her eyes.

"How are you feeling?" she crooned.

"Horrible."

"I would figure. You've been in a feverish sleep for the past two nights."

"Two nights?" Sienna choked. "How? What happened?"

She grasped her head as she began to feel the sickness come back to her throat and Catelyn handed her the empty bucket.

"You are not the only guest not feeling well. Three of King Baratheon's guards, Tyrion Lannister, two of our own men, and Sansa are sick too. We suspect there was something wrong with the wine you all consumed at the party. The queen is furious, blames us for the whole thing, but we strongly suspect there was poisoning involved, and her brothers vouched for us."

_Now why would he do that?_

"Aunt Catelyn, can I ask you a question?" Sienna said after taking the towel off her eyes and moved it to her forehead.

"Of course," she replied, insistently putting a fresh towel over Sienna's eyes.

"Jon Snow helped me back to my room after the party. Why have I never met him before?"

She heard Catelyn sigh deeply.

"He is… no one you need to worry about."

"Robb, Sansa, and Arya know about him. You told them not to let me know about him?"

Catelyn lightly patted Sienna's hand. Her skin felt oddly cold, almost clammy, her palms sweating slightly.

"I do not expect you to understand."

"I understand he's Ned's son."

"Ned's bastard son!" Catelyn suddenly snapped. "You are ill, Sienna. We can talk more when you are well again." She pressed a small cup to her lips, "Drink this, it will help to settle your stomach."

With that, Catelyn walked out of the room, practically slamming the door behind her. The sound of the clacking wood sent a shot of pain through her spine. The vertigo overtook her and collapsed back down into her pillow.

IIII

"Well, that probably could have gone better," Theon muttered as Catelyn practically stormed out of Sienna's room.

"Hmph, what did you expect? She hates me, always has," Jon said, cutting another wedge out of the apple he was holding.

"You aren't the only one under pressure," Robb added. "You are a hard secret to keep."

The three boys were leaning on the edge of the loft hall over the corridor for the guest rooms. The acoustics allowed them to hear just about anything in any of them if they were quiet enough.

"I still don't understand why we're here. We've been 'standing watch' for the past seven hours and she's still alive," Theon grumbled.

"You know why," Jon snapped. "We watched Jaime Lannister put that vial in the wine."

"And you saw the way he danced with her ," Robb supported.

Theon rolled his eyes but didn't say anything else about it. Jon chewed thoughtfully on his slice of apple, still running through everything he had seen since Sienna arrived. He had no idea why the queen's brother had a grudge against an eighteen year old girl, but it did not take a trained eye to know that he definitely had one. Though she had not noticed him until she literally ran into him, Jon had been around the castle, watching her. He remembered her being in Winterfell since Ned brought him back, but Catelyn had never allowed him to meet with her. Being so young, he naturally wanted to defy her orders, but knew enough not to disobey her completely, so he just watched. When she left with her mother he didn't really care, she was none of his business. Now that she was back, though, it was as if she was never gone. It was odd, but he felt every much on edge as his half brother and friend seeing Sienna at the party. He didn't quite love her like the other Starks did, she was just somehow a part of his life in Winterfell, part of what Alan Morrigan had left behind.

"What do you think Jaime wants with her?" he mused out loud.

"Overheard him say something about her mother and something she did before Sienna was born," Theon said. "Millah left him the night before their wedding or something ridiculous like that."

"So take it out her daughter?" Robb shook his head. "The Lannisters are not -."

"The Lannisters are not what, Stark?"

All three spun around at the same time to see Tyrion Lannister standing behind them, looking incredibly green in the face and holding a small bucket at his side. After vomiting in it, he nodded in turn to Theon and Jon.

"Greyjoy, Snow."

"Lord Tyrion," Jon said as politely as he could.

"Now," Tyrion said, pacing slightly. "On a nice day like this when several guests are horribly ill, why is it that three fit boys are not outside, but defensively staring down a sick young lady's door and talking about her mother's dealings with my brother?"

"We are concerned for her," Robb answered smoothly, but Jon could tell he was grinding his teeth. "She is like our sister."

"Yes, but brothers _usually _do not gander at their sisters like Greyjoy was looking at Lady Morrigan Tyrell, and brothers _usually _do not look as tense as young Stark did when said ganders take place, but then again, brothers are also _usually _very protective of their sisters when an unapproved boy tries to seduce her."

Robb and Theon clenched her jaws, resisting the urge to glare at each other. Tyrion saw it and smirked.

"I thought so. Now, what was that about my brother?" When no one answered, the dwarf Lannister rolled his eyes and huffed. "Don't be shy, boys, we all know he's the one who poisoned the wine. The strange thing is that it is not like him to use such back-alley ways."

"Why are you telling us this?" Jon asked suspiciously

Tyrion smirked and hurled into his bucket again. "Because, Snow, I love a good mystery as much as the next intellectual and you three look like you are very bored. Now if you'd excuse me, I'm going to go back to my room so that I may throw my guts out in private.

"Odd," Robb said, scowling a little. "I think whatever he drank went right to his brain."

"He has a point, though," Theon pondered sarcastically while putting a finger to his chin as if it would make his idea more valid. "It _is _a nice day. Why-"

Jon cut him off by punching his arm. He knew the younger Lannister brother had told them those things for a bigger reason than he justified. There was something Tyrion knew and was wanted the three boys to catch on to it. Jaime was known for being a direct combatant, and yet stabbed the Mad King in his back. There were two edges of a sword at play, he could feel that, now just to find out who was swinging it and who was sharpening it. Was the target solely Sienna, or was her defeat simply an extra merit to Jaime in a larger scheme? Jon knew that something out of the ordinary was brewing, and he strongly suspected the eye was over Winterfell.

Things were getting stranger and strangers since Alan Morrigan's arrival and even more so upon his departure.

He didn't know why, but Catelyn was not very particular about hiding Jon when Alan came. The young man definitely did not walk through the gates looking like an honored guest. His clothes had been torn up, dark hair nearly matted, bruises and cuts nearly all over his body; he seemed more like a travelling beggar boy than an old friend's son, yet somehow she had been able to see his father in him, and it was easy to tell he was related to Sienna. They shared the same nose and eyes, but he was nearly as tall as Ned contrasting with his barely five foot five sister. He had a rounder face than she did, with more distinguished features and a strong build. It was easy to identify him as a man who lived and breathed the cold. It was just those few simple things, most of all their almond shaped, sparkling hazel eyes, that showed the blood they shared.

Though Alan was ill most of his time in Winterfell's palace, speaking mostly in feverish ravings, when he was able to move about he was very quiet and kept to himself most of the time. He never told any of them stories about where he came from or what he planned to do, except for the brief conversations he had with Catelyn. But he was not distant. He got along surprisingly well with Arya, a feat that hardly anyone could accomplish, and he got along well with Jon. He did not speak much, but he listened better than anyone else Jon had ever met. He always just looked interested. When he told him to go on with an explanation, it made Jon feel as if he really wanted to know. Alan let him talk about everything he couldn't say: his hopes for his family, his fears for his future, his longing for acceptance. Alan somehow made it seem liked it actually mattered. Whenever Jon asked about him though, he would never go deeper than just the surface facts, except when it came to his sister.

Jon tried to get Alan talking about Sienna because it was the only way he could get him to talk. It only seemed fair that he should have someone to listen to him as well as he did for others. He talked about how he envisioned her grown, what he wished he could have been around for, how much he wanted to see her, a lot of 'what if's and 'what could have been's. Occasionally he would mention regretting running away, but he never clarified why he even left his family in the first place. Never once said where he had been. However, Jon could respect that. Everyone had secrets. He didn't care as long as Alan would have the opportunity to express his thoughts and hopefully continue to listen.

Then he left one morning without even saying goodbye. Needless to say, Jon had been furious. He found himself spending a lot more time with Ghost and Arya. He felt as if he _needed _someone to listen to him! Alan had given him something completely new and beautiful but then just took it away without any warning. Now that Sienna was back, hell-bent on finding her brother, he felt oddly more settled, as if she had filled in some of Alan's gap with her presence and determination.

"Fine," Robb sighed, breaking Jon out of his trance of thoughts. "We'll go get lunch but then come straight back. Is that fair?"

"As fair as I can expect you to be," Theon smirked impatiently.

"I'll stay here. I'm not hungry," Jon said.

Robb eyed him cautiously, looking intently over his face as if he were searching for something. "Are you going to do anything stupid while we're gone?"

"No." _At least, it won't be stupid as long as I don't get caught._

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><p><strong>Played around with a few things in chapter. Thanks for all the reviews, you guys! I love the feedback ^^<strong>

**Just a note: I am intentionally making some things in the chapters ambiguous (characters's true feelings, situations, etc.). Do not take a lot of this stuff at face value or the story will get a lot more confusing.**

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